In an surprising transfer, Intel has introduced plans to section out the boxed variations of its enthusiasts-class 13th Technology Core ‘Raptor Lake’ processors. In keeping with a product change notification (PCN) revealed by the corporate final month, Intel plans to cease transport these desktop CPUs by late June. As a substitute will stay Intel’s present lineup of boxed 14th Technology Core processors, that are primarily based on the identical ‘Raptor Lake’ silicon and sometimes carry larger efficiency for related costs.
Intel clients and distributors considering getting boxed variations 13th Technology Core i5-13600K/KF, Core i7-13700K/KF, and Core i9-13900K/KF/KS ‘Raptor Lake’ processors with unlocked multiplier ought to place their orders by Could 24, 2024. The corporate will ship these items by June 28, 2024. In the meantime, the PCN doesn’t point out any change to the provision of tray variations of those CPUs, that are offered to OEMs and wholesalers.
The upcoming discontinuation of Intel’s boxed 13th Technology Core processors comes as the corporate’s present 14th Technology product line, ‘Raptor Lake Refresh’ is essentially a rehash of the identical silicon at barely larger clockspeeds. Living proof: the entire discontinued SKUs are primarily based on Intel’s B0 Raptor Lake silicon, which remains to be getting used for his or her 14th Gen counterparts. So Intel has not discontinued producing any Raptor Lake silicon; solely the variety of retail SKUs is getting cut-down.
As outlined in our 14th Technology Core/Raptor Lake Refresh evaluate, the 14th Gen chips largely make their 13th Gen counterparts redundant, providing higher efficiency at each tier for a similar record value. And with nearly all present era motherboards supporting each era of chips, apparently Intel feels there’s little motive to maintain round what’s basically older, slower SKUs of the identical silicon.
Curiously, the retirement of the enthusiast-class 13th Technology Core chips is coming earlier than Intel discontinues their even older 12th Technology Core ‘Alder Lake’ processors. 12th Gen chips are nonetheless accessible to today in each boxed and tray variations, and the Alder Lake silicon itself remains to be extensively in use in a number of product households. So though Alder Lake shares the identical platform as Raptor Lake, the chips primarily based on that silicon have not been rendered redundant in the identical manner that 13th Gen Core chips have.
Finally, it could appear that Intel is intent on consolidating and simplifying its boxed retail chip choices by retiring their near-duplicate SKUs. Which for PC patrons may current a minor alternative for a deal, as retailers work to unload their remaining 13th Gen fanatic chips.